Now that we have our new OC, which fit what I felt our needs were… someone from the McVay or Shanahan tree, we still have so much more work to do. Obviously we need to sign Baker, Evans, Winfield, David… etc. But all of these only keep our team from falling off. They don’t really help us jump up to the next level of competition. In order to do that we must sign an outside pass rusher in free agency.
Let me start by saying, please don’t tell me we can draft one with our 26th pick and hope they can fill this role. The chances of that happening are very slim. And don’t give me Yaya Diaby as your example either. I like him a lot and he is hopefully going to be a good fit in our defense, but he does not bring what we need from a pass rushing specialist. Yaya in my eyes is more of a 4 or 5 technique DE. He’s so powerful and he can help collapse a pocket or set the edge, but we need a 9 technique pass rusher. I’m talking about someone like Josh Allen or Brian Burns.
If, Josh Allen or Brian Burns remains unsigned and hit free agency, we have to find a way to sign them. Yes, I know there is a salary cap, but this is the type of move that helps a defense take another step. We cannot rely on blitzing 40-50% of the time, because today’s offenses are too good and they will dice our defense up over an entire game.
Depending on what sites you are reading or hearing from, we are in the $40-48M range under the salary cap. And that the league cap will go up around $12M-15M for the year. That gives us $55M-$60M to work with. We are in the top 10 as far as good salary cap situation. When you are in that position you can find a way to get guys you really need. I mean come on, the Saints have been in negative cap space at the beginning of every offseason and they still continue to find a way to add and keeps guys every season.
Get us Josh Allen and he will make our entire defense look better. And lastly, I hear the “great teams build through the draft.” I agree, but we are letting Devin White walk, because he has fallen off. So instead of re-signing our 1st round pick from 5 years ago, we should sign the guy we should have drafted… Josh Allen. Fixes our mistake and fills a huge missing piece.
Not sure how much we will have leftover to afford a premier pass rusher
team will need to prioritize mayfield Evans Winfield McLaughlin and David as to maintain their own
I don’t think shaq saves us much at all in cutting him, might even hurt us cap wise
we Might prioritize in the draft to pair with Yaya, shaq, JTR
i agree pass rush needs to get better but our economic friendly way would be first round in draft
If, Josh Allen or Brian Burns remains unsigned and hit free agency, we have to find a way to sign them.
The only way to sign those guys would be losing a one or two of our own.
Once Evans, David, AWJ, Baker, and possibly Wirfs are signed/extended.
And, once you factor in the rookie class/season long working cap/etc.
How much do you honestly think there will be left over?
Our next pass rusher is coming via the draft.
And, yeah, would've been nice to have Allen..........in the draft.
@badabingbucs - you are not wrong at all. But pairing a #26th pick with yaya, shaq, and JTS will not help improve our pass rush this year. Maybe we look at someone that isn’t Allen or Burns, but we need a productive vet. Tough decisions to be made. How do we get better?
@donkey_hunter - I don’t disagree with the challenges. But drafting another pass rusher at 26 is going to leave us with more players like JTS and L. Hall.
Maybe we need to really think about the direction we are going? I love Evans, but he’s not getting younger and it’s easier to find a stud replacement in the draft at receiver than it is at OLB. I don’t want to lose him, but staying status quo isn’t enough.
Our schedule is much tougher next year and Atlanta will be better. If we can’t get a consistent pass rush with four then good teams will take advantage.
Maybe we need to really think about the direction we are going?
I agree with you.
But, if we lose Evans, we aren't winning the division IMO.
At that point, if it were up to me, it's hard reset time.
@donkey_hunter - even with Evans it’s going to be tough. But coaching makes such a difference in football, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
I just don’t want to see us reach for another pass rusher in the draft when we have so many other needs. And a late first round MLB, Guard, or Corner could be a starter, unlike with an OLB.
I really like the Toledo and Missouri corners. Also like the Texas A&M MLB. Those guys could start day 1 for us.
Maybe we sign a lesser pass rusher such as Minnesota’s D. Hunter? Someone…
Barrett and JTS are in contract years so we should get a boost from them, especially JTS. Diaby is solid. Nelson is a bad contract value at $5.4M. Could designate him as a post 6/1 cut and save $4.5M.
As far as signing a pass rusher, would be better off taking a flier on a low key vet on a 1 year deal.
Even if Mike has somewhat diminished physical skills, his IQ and ability to use his big frame and physicality to get open, man you're not going to find those things at a draft spot in the 20's. That's why we'd need to re-sign Mike. Don't know what the impact of tagging a top WR...but if that price is right, it may be the right time to take that approach. Of course, tagging Antione Winfield might be better/cheaper - then when we havea bit more room next season we can lock him up to a longer deal?Maybe we need to really think about the direction we are going? I love Evans, but he’s not getting younger and it’s easier to find a stud replacement in the draft at receiver than it is at OLB. I don’t want to lose him, but staying status quo isn’t enough.
Our schedule is much tougher next year and Atlanta will be better. If we can’t get a consistent pass rush with four then good teams will take advantage.
I think our '24 schedule is pretty similar to the '23 schedule - since we finished with a similar record, that stands to reason.
While I think Bowles deliberately sacrificed the pressure game to bolster our run game - I take your point. We should expect to see a second year bounce from guys like Diabi and Cancey - as well as Sirvocea Dennis (can't forget about him, because we won't be able to afford Devin White).
I think Todd Bowles utilized pressure from corners/safety's and Linebackers a lot this year - so you could make the case that a draft pick in the 20's would yield a stud corner that could be used in pressure packages.
We definitely need to improve the pressure - just think the offensive line "weapons" Coen talked about yesterday, will be high priorities in the 2nd/3rd round.
I'm pretty pleased with this team - it still looks young, and will get better, and some more magic from Licht/Greenie and Spytech will surely augment the defense with some depth/surprises.
Yes, we're still looking viable and scary - IF we sign Ballerz, Mike, and Antione...
I agree except we just don't have the money for one. Chances are you aren't getting a menace and ready to contribute out the gate at pick 26. As JC said, we best off taking a flier in FA and hope to get lucky like we did with Shaq. IF Latu starts to fall out the top 15, and he's on the board at 16-18ish you have to consider making that trade up move.
Or, simply could've had foresight to draft Josh Allen knowing Barrett was going to age 5 years from that time. But hey
@jc5100 - good points. I just don’t see what JTS is going to be able to pull out that he hasn’t after 4 years. Contract year is one thing for players that need the motivation, but that’s not what he’s lacking. He just lacks being any good.
As for our schedule, the issue next year is the divisions we have to play in the AFC and NFC will be tougher than this past year. And we still have to play a first seed schedule on top of that.
@detrimental - that’s my point. If we had drafted Josh Allen instead of Devin White, and all other things stayed the same, would we let Josh Allen walk this offseason? I would hope not.
@detrimental - that’s my point. If we had drafted Josh Allen instead of Devin White, and all other things stayed the same, would we let Josh Allen walk this offseason? I would hope not.
great take, deeper than I first realized.
No, we would not. And no, I don’t think letting Ballerz hire the new OC is indicative of letting him walk… no matter what the TraskForce has to say about it!
@jc5100 - good points. I just don’t see what JTS is going to be able to pull out that he hasn’t after 4 years. Contract year is one thing for players that need the motivation, but that’s not what he’s lacking. He just lacks being any good.
I think he's going to put up double digit sacks and they're will tons of threads saying sign him to a mega deal.
I think he's going to put up double digit sacks and they're will tons of threads saying sign him to a mega deal.
If threads about Baker are any indication, you're correct.
